AUBURN, Alabama -- Gus Malzahn needs a few speedy receivers and tailbacks, but he also needs a few men ready to do the dirty work near the line of scrimmage in his hurry-up, no-huddle offense at Auburn.

After all, the Tigers will run more than they pass -- and the coaches have promised a "downhill running game" in spread sets.

The H-back position, capable of hauling in passes as well as paving the way for a tailback, is not only important, it's required for the Tigers' offense to be successful.

The emerging starter there as the Tigers head into the summer is no surprise.

"Jay Prosch," Malzahn said. "He was one of the highlights of the whole spring. Talking about a hard-nosed guy. That's a dirty-work type position for us. It takes a smart guy."

The 6-foot, 247-pound Prosch is not the only player required to block and knock down a few defenders, though he will mostly remain in the box and serve as a lead blocker between the tackles. The tight end, or the "Y" receiver in this offense, will put his hand in the dirt and will be asked to seal off corners and linebackers on run and pass plays -- something Prosch could do, but likely will not have to with the emergence of three players this spring.

View full sizeAuburn tight end C.J. Uzomah works out during spring practice Wednesday, April 17, 2013, at the Auburn Athletic Complex in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Some presumed Brandon Fulse had earned the starting job after a strong spring, but was the second tight end to roll off Malzahn's lips as he rattled off the names from his post-spring depth chart Wednesday. C.J. Uzomah, who caught seven passes for 136 yards and a touchdown in 2012, was the first name mentioned by the first-year coach.

That doesn't mean he's the starter. After all, the depth chart is fluid, but Uzomah received the most attention.

"C.J. is a guy who is getting used to playing with his hand down," Malzahn said. "We worked hard on the blocking part. He's a threat vertically in the passing game."

Uzomah could be used more in the slot, while Fulse puts his hand on the ground to block in the fall.

Fulse showed off some of his blocking skills in the A-Day game, knocking around a few cornerbacks on run and pass plays. He was a lead blocker on a few perimeter runs, too, capping a day that included a 17-yard touchdown catch after lining up in the slot.

"I like picking on those little corners and blocking them around," Fulse said at the time. "Coach said he'd move me to the slot so I can free the light guys, the outside guys, because I have good blocking skills."

Uzomah appears to be the best option in the passing game, while Fulse is the better blocker. Fulse, the biggest tight end on the roster, played H-Back as a freshman following the departure of Eric Smith in 2011 and had two catches for 12 yards.

Now the 6-foot-4, 264-pound Fulse is back at tight end, where he caught one pass for eight yards as Philip Lutzenkirchen's backup in 2012.

"That's what we recruited Brandon Fulse for: for that position standing up, doing a lot of dirty work, a very physical blocker," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said earlier this spring.

Ricky Parks, listed as a tight end on the roster, will back up Prosch in the backfield and off the line of scrimmage at H-Back. Receiver Melvin Ray, who was very involved as a pass-catcher in screen drills in the spring, is also in the mix at tight end.